Drill shaft



J. J. SCHEPPE Feb 7, 1950 DRILL SHAFT March 29 Filed Inz'entor Ja/m J. Sefleppe Patented Feb. 7, 1950 Applicatici nMa ich 29, 1348 55 2 Claims.

,0, new and useful ,im-

improved means for holding the same in ,a se

ni n use iadrill lected'ilexed or shaped po a holes ante-"ure in "places that are, otherwise inaccessible by the use of ordinary drilling tools.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide an adjustable drill shaft, the parts of which are quickly and readily assembled or disassembled, facilitating the convenient inspection, replacement, or repair of parts thereof in a desirable manner.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a drill shaft including a plurality of juxtapositioned sections having cooperative bearing surfaces which are selectively rotated relative to each other to retain the drill shaft in a flexed or bent position for operation.

A still further aim of the present invention is to provide a drill shaft that is simple and practical in construction, strong and reliable in use, small and compact in structure, neat and attractive in appearance, relatively inexpensive to manufacture, and otherwise well adapted for the purposes for which the same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the present invention arranged in a straight longitudinal position;

Figure 2 is a similar view as Figure l and with parts thereof broken away and shown in section for the convenience of explanation;

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the present invention, and showing the same adjusted in one of its many angulated or flexed positions;

Figure 4 is a perspective View of the forward bushing used in conjunction with the present invention; and

Figure 5 is a perspective view of one of the re-- movable holding sections that is used in conjunction with the present invention.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, wherein, for the purpose of illustration, there is disclosed a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the numeral represents an elongated and flexible driven shaft, the forward end l2 of which is fixed in any suitable manner in a socket or recess l4 at one end of a bit or drill engaging chuck or vise l6.

Slidably engaging the driven shaft I0 is a knurled outer surfaced forward bearing or truncated conical bushing I8 having a flat forward bearing surface that engages a washer 22 en-.

with Winn .559. ward e 32 that rotatably supports and embraces the driven shaft l0.

Embracing the inner flexible casing 32 is an outer casing that is designated generally by the numeral 34 and which includes a plurality of separable substantially conical sections 36, a forward section 38 and a rear section 40. It is noted that each of the sections 36 and 38 is formed with inclined, converging bearing surfaces 42 and 44, whereby the bearing surfaces 42 and 44 of adjacent sections 36 will engage each other. The bearing surface 42 of the forward section 38 engages the inclined inner face 24 of the bushing l8, and the remaining bearing surface 44 of the forward section 38 engages the forward and inclined bearing surface 42 of the section 36 adjacent the same.

The rear section 40 is provided with a flat rear bearing face 46 and an inclined forward bearing surface 48 that engages the rear inclined bearing surface 44 of the section 36 adjacent the same.

The length of the assembled sections 36, 38 and 40, together with the bushing I8, is less than the length of the inner flexible casing 32 so that an externally threaded socket member 50 may receive the rear end 52 of the casing 32. This member 50 is provided with a reduced opening 54 at one end that receives the rear terminal 56 of the driven shaft l0 which is removably secured by a pin 58 to a coupling element or drive shaft receiving member 60.

Receivably engaging the external threads of the socket member 50 is a knurled outer surfaced adjusting nut or internally threaded holding sleeve 62 that frictionally engages the rear, fiat bearing face 46 of the rear section 40.

In practical use of the present invention for perpendicular positionin of the chuck l6 relative to the longitudinal axis of the sleeve 62, any two adjacent of the sections 36 are rotated to the remaining sections 36, so that the sections rotated will form an elbow 64. By tightening the nut 62, the said outer casing will be retained in the bent or angulated position as shown in Figure 3.

Obviously, by so rotating selected sections 36, a desired shape or angular adjustment of the casings 32 and 34 may be maintained.

In view of the foregoing description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, it is believed that a clear understanding of the device will be quite apparent to those skilled in this 3 art. A more detailed description is accordingly deemed unnecessary.

It is to be understood, however, that even though there is herein shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention, the same is susceptible to certain changes fully comprehended by the spirit of the invention as herein described and within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed x as new is:

1. An adjustable drill shaft comprising a flex-" ible driven shaft, a bit engaging member fixed at one end on said drivenshaft, said bit engaging member having a bearing surface, a drive shaft engaging member carried by the remaining end of said driven shaft, a flexible casing embracing the driven shaft between the bit engaging member and drive shaft engaging member, a plurality of removable sections carried by the casing having, inclined, cooperative bearing surfaces, and means receivably engaging said adjusting nut.

JOHN J. SCHEPPE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 174,609 Wright Mar. 7,1876

FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date Great Britain 1934 

